Eileen Vollick, Canada’s first licensed women pilot was born in Wiarton in 1908 and now will have the airport terminal building named after her at a special ceremony tomorrow morning.
Paul Kastner is chair of the Airport Terminal Naming Committee and says like many Canadian historic figures, Vollick and and her accomplishment has been largely forgotten over the course of time.
He says by naming the terminal after this aviation pioneer, they will once again remind people of what this remarkable young woman did.
Kastner also says an Ontario Heritage marker will be unveiled as well documenting Vollick’s accomplishment.
He says about 35 members of the Vollick family will be on hand, including two daughters from New York State along with other relatives from as far away as Arizona to mark the event.
Kastner says it was on March 13, 1928 that Vollick at the age of 19, became the first woman in Canada to qualify as a pilot.
He says after that she took up aerobatic flying and skydiving and her legacy demonstrated to women that aviation was not only a man’s sport.
Kastner says naming the terminal after Vollick will be a first in Canada as this will be the first facility named after a woman, although 20 other airports are named after men.
